San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-02-17

men nave Sucn fanny Ideas on that
point; all know Is, he is six feet high,
tair, curly-haired, as strong rs horse,
and about as honest and reliable.
TheTe-if you want To know more, you
must wait till you see himl Maude and
your beloved aunt must Just take
things rs they come; | cannot cut all
my friends for the sake OF that old lady
and her aesthetic daughter. As far as
the man goes, 1 think Miss Maude
might easily do a good deal worse than
fall in love with Jerry FOULS"
With this declaration poor anxious
Margaret had TO be satisfied, for not u
word more on the subject was to be
got out of Jack. 1t cannot be said that
his silence made the ladies Indifferent
to the expected visitor; on the contra
ry, they only seemed TO think about
him the more, result which JACK
very probably anticipated.
Two days later, he looked up from
his breakfast to remark
Il say, Margaret-FOuliS will be here
to-day, so that's all rightl"-a piece of
news that did not make Mrs. Melfurd
more cheerful.
Maude passed that afternoon in her
room, on the pretence that the heat al
fected her; the truth was she was
thoroughly cross at the coming of this
intruder. Her life during the past
week had been so happy that she could
not bear to think of any alteration in
it; she had a nervous dread that any
change must be for the worse. The
old friend would probably engross
Jack; and, though she had honestly
grown very fond of Margaret, she was
obliged to confess TO herself that he.
with his frank cdmdrdderie and calm
self-respect, was the principal attrac-
ton to her at Hillside. Getting tired
of her solitude, she went to the win
dow to see if either Jack or his wife
were about. As she did so, the gate
swung open, and young man entered.
He looked up, and, seeing the pretty
face at the window, raised his hat.
is that Jerry FOULS, wonderT
thought Maude. He is certainly hand
some, and looks clever too. How diff
ferent from poor uncle Ralph's Philis-
tinesp-and, with half-sigh, for
which she should have found it hard to
account satisfactorily, she made herself
presentable previously to going down.
The stranger was Gerald, who, in the
meantime, had entered the house, had
unearthed Jack, and had been intro
duced to Mrs. Melford, with whom he
was evidently charmed.
When Maude entered, he appeared
much struck, and devoted himself to
her during the evening. He was equal
ly attentive subsequently, following
her about, waiting on her, singing with
her, and taking care of her generally,
in fashion that filled Jack with great,
If secret amusement, and caused Mrs.
Melford-who, whilst liking her guest
m Of
treacherously by aunt acknowledged
anxiety.
Maude was obliged to confess to her.
self that the anticipated disturber of
their peace was, in fact, the pleasant
est OF a very pleasant party, and, if bad
as an artist-On which points she had
grave doubtS-he was indispensable
as companion.
The addition to their party made
little alteration in their way of life.
The morning was spent by Jack and
Gerald in the studio, whilst Mrs Mel
ford saw to her housekeeping, and
Maude amused herself as best she
could. In the afternoon they all made
for the garden, and either loung-
ed about till tea-time, or went on long
exploring or picnic excursions. Had
she been catechised, Maude could not
have had failed to admit how complete
ly her interest in Jack was fading
away, and how intensely she looked
forward to the afternoons and Gerald's
: companiOnShip.
Matters had gone on in this fashion
for some time, when one day, as Maude
and Gerald made their way into the
garden prepared for walk, they found
Jack and his wife still sitting under
the cedar. Jack announced that Mar
garet was not feeling very well. that
he meant to sit quiet and keep her
company, and concluded by telling the
young folks to 60 off for their STROLL
They, nothing loath, sauntered off
down the valley, talking on every con-
celyable subject but the one nearest
their hearts-namely, their approach
ing separation; for Gerald was to leave
at the end of the week. At last the
conversation turned on the Melfords.
What happy marriage theirs isl"
said Maude, in reply to a remark of
Gerald's.
"Yes, it is" he answered warmly,
sand thank Heaven for it! Jacks
right good fellow. and deserves good
wife, il ever man did-even as good
one as Mrs. Melford. Still, | always
fancied that Jacks matrimonial pros
poets were not good, that he would be
the victim of some adventuress-I
can't exactly say why; and | confess
my heart sank when l heard of his en-
gagement to regular London girl like
Margaret ThOrnleigh. beg your par
don," he added quickly; Il forgot she
was your cousin. You can the more
easily forgive me, seeing, as you do,
how fully now appreciate her merits
she is quite the most perfect wife l
have ever seem"
"Yes," answered Maude slowly, Il
suppose she is. | dare say you wonder
at my GOODNESS; but, though L do hon
estly love and admire Margaret, have
seen so little of her till lately that, al
though she is my cousin, L seem to
know scarcely anything of her."
"Of course, from worldly point of
view, it was a preposterOus match, for
poor old Jack has not penny, thanks
TO that bank failure; and / suppose
Mrs. Melford was not daughter of
Cresus. Yet can't say the absence
of money has disturbed their happiness
much"
do you think money such a necessi-
ty of life, them"
at least, If one is to keep on salts
factory footing with ones butcher and
baker. Personally hate the feeling of
always having two ends which not on
ly won't overlay, but require violent
exertion to bring them within sight of
one another. Still, there's one thing,
poor as / am" he continued hOtly, Il
could not do, and that is-marry for
A.